Positions of Pride
by Cronomon
Summary: When Ken and Chikusa hospitalized the boy, they hadn't done it to protect Chrome, heavens no. They did it to protect their positions... Really! Highschool AU, Kokuyo trio friendship fic.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.**

**The Kokuyo Trio! No, not Mukuro, Ken, and Chikusa. It's Chrome, Ken, and Chikusa! I totally love all three of them and I kind of thought their exchanges were cute, especially considering Ken's little crush on Chrome. So yeah, I wrote a fic. Yay. Just to clear things up, this is a Highschool AU fic, meaning no mafia. So yeah.**

**Please enjoy!**

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><p><em>"Allow me to interrupt you for a moment. Don't worry, this won't take long… I need to go home soon to take a shower, anyway. I simply need to relay a message to you…"<em>

**"Alright, listen up, byon! I'm gonna say this once and once only so don't expect me to repeat myself, byon."**

_"I am aware that I am seen as an uncaring person, and for the most part that is correct."_

**"People call me violent a lot but that's not true, byon! You guys are all too annoying is all!"**

_"However…"_

**"That said…"**

_"… That doesn't mean that I am incapable of caring. For instance, that poor victim of yours whom you hit during school today..."_

**"… What you did to that girl annoyed the hell out of me, byon! So I guess that means I'll be going violent on you!"**

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><p>When Chrome Dokuro arrived at her classroom the following day, she learned that the boy who had bullied her only yesterday had been sent to the hospital. Apparently on his way home from school somebody had attacked him, and then as he tried to make his way to either the police station or his house he'd been ambushed yet again. Some time later a passerby had found him and immediately called an ambulance to take him to the hospital where he now resided.<p>

Ruthless people, her classmates muttered, for attacking a harmless kid. The police would be on high alert for a while now.

Chrome blinked, unconsciously rubbing the day-old bruise on her arm as she made her way to her desk. Her only two companions in the class, Ken Joshima and Chikusa Kakimoto, had already arrived and were at their respective seats in front of Chrome's. For once they seemed to be getting along, aside from a few snarky remarks from Chikusa and Ken's harsh snaps, as they were apparently talking about an event that had occurred yesterday.

"I gotta say, I didn't expect you to do it right after school, byon," Ken was saying as Chrome slid into her seat. The two boys barely seemed to notice her presence and continued right on with their conversation.

Chikusa shrugged, playing idly with his yoyo as he replied, "I had some errands to take care of for the rest of the day. I had no chance but directly after we were dismissed." He paused and fixed his glasses, which had apparently slid a bit too far down the bridge of his nose, and then added, "On the contrary, you seemed to have had plenty of time to spend."

Ken barked out a laugh. "Sure did, byon. Tons of time to buy some snacks and eat them all before… Oh, so you're here." The last comment was directed towards Chrome, who immediately gave a start when she realized the boys had noticed she was there.

"Good morning, Chrome," Chikusa nodded affably, while Ken just snorted.

Chrome merely smiled and returned, "Good morning, Chikusa, Ken." She hesitated, fiddling with her hands on her lap before continuing, "Um… What are you two talking about?"

"Hmph!" Ken let out a huff, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Just a spy mission, byon. Nothing you need to concern yourself with." He threw a sneer at the girl as though to emphasize his point.

Chikusa eyed him for a moment and said, "Perhaps calling it an 'assassin mission' would be more accurate, don't you agree?" He pointedly ignored the growl from his blonde companion, returning to his yoyo once again.

Chrome, however, only nodded and then glanced around the classroom, noting quietly, "Xinia-san doesn't seem to be in today."

"Apparently so," Chikusa agreed. "Maybe he's sick?"

"I did hear he was in the hospital, byon," Ken added, not without some satisfaction. He grinned and licked his lips, chuckling softly as though recalling a particularly enjoyable memory.

Chrome nodded again and an awkward silence fell upon the trio. It was times like these that Chrome wished that Mukuro-sama weren't so incredibly smart, for if so than he never would have been chosen to go to that science competition to represent their school and instead would be here talking to her. Her senpai would be here helping her decide just what to say to her two closest friends in order to express her feelings. After all, he'd been friends with them longer… He knew exactly what words to use to get them to properly understand.

"Um… Ken… Chikusa…"

At the call of their names both boys turned questioningly to her. Chikusa's face remained perfectly impassive while Ken seemed impatient, but both seemed to have a hint of concern in their eyes.

Chrome swallowed nervously as their stares bore into her and she immediately lowered her gaze to the wooden desk before her, but at Ken's demanding snap she immediately blurted out, "You don't need to do all this for me."

This seemed to have caught their full attention.

"Ehh? What are you talking about, byon?" Ken grumbled. "Didn't I just say that it's none of your business?"

Chrome winced at his harsh tone and ducked her head, eye shut tight as she braced herself for the scolding that would no doubt follow. However, the only voice that sounded was Chikusa's low one as he told Ken to calm down and prompted Chrome to clarify what she meant.

After a moment she opened her eye, and after a moment more hesitantly continued, "You two... You went too far this time. Xinia-san is in the hospital. Everyone thinks that there are murderers on the loose." Her gaze remained fixed on her lap as she spoke. "What happens... what if the police find out it was you? They would come and arrest you, wouldn't they?"

"I'd like to see them try," Ken snorted, but a nudge from Chikusa quieted him.

"I... someone like me... it's not worth trying to protect me if you're going to end up in jail for it." Chrome suddenly felt her throat become dry, and she swallowed quickly. "You two are too important for me to lose. So please... Stop fighting people for my sake."

There was silence from all three parties once again, but Chrome didn't dare look up to see what her two friends (her only two friends) were thinking. She was worried that her words might have offended them, and though she had meant everything she said the last thing she wanted was for Ken and Chikusa to be mad at her.

The lack of sound was suffocating, despite the idle chatter from their classmates surrounding them. Chrome wanted desperately to look up, but held back in fear of only being met by glares. So she kept her gaze steady on her lap, hands fidgeting as she anxiously waited for the silence to be broken.

Her wait didn't last long, though, as only a few seconds later Ken suddenly slammed his hand on her desk and snarled, "Are you freaking kidding me?"

The unexpectedly loud noise made Chrome jump in her seat, but that didn't stop Ken from nearly yelling his words.

"What, do you think this is all about you, byon? That we're going around kicking peoples' asses for _you_?" A dark scowl grew on Ken's face. "Don't make me laugh, byon! This is just as much for Mukuro as it is for Chikusa and I. Hardly any of it involves you. You got that?"

Chrome didn't look up but gave a small nod to show that she understood.

A heavy sigh sounded from Chikusa as he leaned back. "You're giving her the wrong impression, Ken," he said, giving the blonde a disapproving look. He then turned to face Chrome, whose head was still down. He observed her for a moment and then continued, "I believe that the way the dog likes to think of it is it's all a matter of protecting our positions. Anyone who offends this position will receive the necessary punishment, no matter what the consequences to us are. Do you understand?"

The girl's lack of a response was all the answer he needed.

"It's really very simple, Chrome. Anyone who makes fun of or offends you will die, because that is something only Ken and I are allowed to do. That is the right our positions give us, so to say."

"Oi, Chikusa..." Ken growled warningly, but the glasses-wearing man ignored him.

"Naturally it is Mukuro himself who bestowed these positions upon us," Chikusa went on, "therefore anyone who offends this position is additionally offending Mukuro as well. And we can't allow that under any circumstance." He paused to fix his glasses once again, and then looked directly at Chrome, who had finally lifted her head. Her single eye was glowing with some emotion none of the three would be able to name, but it was enough to ease the tension and bloom a feeling of warmth throughout the boys' bodies.

A hint of red rose to Ken's cheeks, and he looked away hastily. "That's... That's all there is to it, okay, byon?"

"'All there is to it', you say," Chikusa sighed. "I'm the one who did the explaining."

"W-well, no one ever told you to, byon!"

"If I hadn't we would have left off with Chrome's feelings hurt."

At this Ken seemed startled, and he glanced nervously at the girl. She blinked as he met her gaze, and then smiled serenely, causing him to blush even harder. "Whatever," he grumbled quietly. "So long as you get it..."

"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding."

Neither of the two seemed to have been expecting the sudden apology, because they both looked at her in surprise.

"I shouldn't have been so selfish and thought this was all because of me. I'm very sorry." Chrome bowed her head once more, although this time it was in apology rather than fear. "I won't get in the way of you and your positions again."

Ken and Chikusa exchanged a glance, and the next thing Chrome knew a tentative hand was resting on her head. She glanced up to see Ken red-faced and pointedly looking away. "You really are a stupid girl," he muttered just loud enough for her to hear.

Chikusa looked almost amused by his friend's action but wisely chose not to say a word. Just then the teacher walked in, yawning out a quick excuse on why he was late and ordering everybody to return to their seats. Ken immediately jerked his hand away and turned around, Chikusa following his example a moment later.

Chrome couldn't help the smile on her face as she watched the two of them. She was lucky enough as it was to have such loyal friends. They were patient with her, admittedly Chikusa more so than Ken, but both obviously meant only the best for her, even after she'd accidentally treaded on their pride.

_You two really are amazing. Thank you, Ken... Chikusa..._

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><p><strong>Ah that was longer than I expected or wanted it to be. Waaaay longer... And the ending was rushed and cheesy, too. My bad. But I really wanted to finish this story today (although since it's 1:13 am as I type this I guess I technically didn't succeed). I think I strayed a bit from the original point of the story, but... what's done is done, I guess.<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed, and please review!**


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